THE VOICE
VOLUME 49, ISSUE 2 FEBRUARY, 2012
Love First Caring, Sharing, Connecting
A WORD FROM PASTOR JEFF The “Buddy Bags” program is not the only thing we are doing at Anderson Elementary. Three years ago we began to support the school and its teachers by providing classroom support. We have about a dozen members from Anderson First who go to the school weekly to help students with reading or to be helpful to the host teacher in any way possible. These adult mentors have found this volunteer work to be especially rewarding. Actually, this is how we became aware of the need for the weekend Buddy Bag program. We can lament the problems our schools face or we can do what we are doing and offer our help and support. If this is a ministry that interests you, you can get involved in these ways: • Volunteer to help with the Buddy bag program • Our hope for next year is to do offer the Buddy Bag program every week for the entire school year. You can sponsor one child for one year for $140.00
•
Inside this issue:
Volunteer as a tutor/classroom helper. You can contact Doug Nelson for more information. (649-6250). Pastor Jeff
A Word from Pastor Jeff
1
Buddy Bag Program Begins
1
Children’s Ministry Update
2
Youth Summer Opportunities
2
30 Hour Famine Scheduled
3
UMW Unit News/ Circle Meetings 3
Buddy Bag Program Begins In December, First Church began a Buddy Bag program to help children get enough nourishment at home. Most students receive breakfast and lunch at school and sometimes do not get much to eat at home. We are attempting to fill that void. On December 23, we took 170 Buddy Bags to Anderson Elementary School and distributed them to the kindergarten students. The bags contained 9 protein items. The teachers and students were very excited to get them. We are going to continue to provide the bags each month during the school year. In January we will be including the first grade as well as the kindergarten. If all goes well, we will attempt to include all the children (up to the 3rd grade) before the end of the year. Volunteers will be needed to bag the food and help unload it from the food bank trucks. Delivery of the Buddy Bags will be on January 27, 2012, at 12:00 noon. If you are interested, please contact Ernie or Johanne Coleson at 765-644-1784.
All-Church Birthday Party
3
Youth News
4
Christmas Eve Pictures
4
Welcome Timothy Tibbs
4
Lenten Breakfast Schedule
5
New Member Class
5
UM Trivia
5
Morehouse College Glee Club
6
First UMC Book Club
6
Helping Hands Pantry
6
Community Dinner Schedule
6
December Memorials
7
Midwest Mission Trip
7
Lenten Activities
7
Bon Ami
7
J.O.Y. Lunch
7
Coming Events
8
Anderson First UMC is in its third year of partnering with Anderson Elementary School. We provide tutors and classroom support weekly. In December we began the “Buddy Bag” program which supplies nutritious meals to kindergarten and first grade students for over the weekend. That effort is headed up by Ernie and Johanne Coleson and Roberta Coleson. This picture is of a team packing 330 Buddy Bags for distribution on Friday, January 13..